Seattle 2015:01

The death of Mario Cuomo reminds me of the two times I interviewed him.

The first was in Rhode Island, while he was riding high on a wave of adulation over his amazing oratorical skills

I, too, was a big fan!

But he was so mean and difficult during the news conference, it became a test of wills between us. Yes, between him and me. And, of course, he, being the adored one, won.

All of the reporters were chuckling.

"Didn’t you know he likes to bait reporters?" they asked afterwards, with big Cheshire cat grins. And I, they cheerfully reported, had fallen for the bait.

Much changed in the intervening years, however.

The next time I interviewed him, I had moved to Seattle. And the famous fickleness of the American electorate had chastened the now-former Gov. Cuomo. No more baiting of reporters or, it seemed, anyone else. Finally, I could see a bit of the Mario Cuomo I had admired.

Quick-witted and a masterful user of the language, he slyly steered you in the direction he wanted to go. Those are qualities I admire and respect in those who are interviewed a lot. It is a skill learned only by doing.

So it is with sadness that I learned that he — and a part of our history — is now gone.

He was certainly one of a kind.

Washington Filmworks Brings Productions to State

By Abby Dylan, SAG-AFTRA National Board member

It is an honor for me to represent SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local members on the board of Washington Filmworks, the private nonprofit organization that manages the state Production Incentive Program. My tenure began in 2004, when I was appointed by Gov. Christine Gregoire as one of two designated labor seats on the newly formed board of directors.

Support for the Washington state incentive in our legislature depends on the continuing support it receives from both business and labor. Washington Filmworks incentivizes projects that bring union contracts into the state. These contracts provide talent and crew living-wage jobs. As Washington actors, we piece together our careers through an array of work. The state incentive helps our creative community to thrive.

My duties on the Washington Filmworks Board include the approval of incoming projects. Each production is held to a rigorous vetting process. Our incentive program is the only one of its kind in the country that requires a production to pay pension and health benefits. Largely because of this requirement, most of the projects that come in are under a SAG-AFTRA contract. I sit on our Legislative Committee and make numerous trips to Olympia to talk with the Washington State Labor Council and various key legislators. I have made it a personal mission to connect the leaders of Washington Filmworks with key national SAG-AFTRA leadership, in order to keep the issues of our work relevant in an increasingly competitive nationwide incentive landscape. Washington Filmworks works closely with Seattle Local Executive Director Brad Anderson and staff Chris Comte and Allison Calvert to make sure that contracts are in place and working conditions throughout the state are kept up to par.

We are moving into an uncertain legislative session starting in January, but despite the climate in Olympia, labor is leading the charge in going after a larger incentive. We are currently working with $3.5 million, which is not nearly enough to sustain a dynamic industry. Our neighbors in Oregon, for example, have $10 million. Many other state incentives are even larger.

We need your help. First, go to the Washington Filmworks website. Click on the blog, and register the district you live in. When you do, Washington Filmworks will send you alerts about how you can be involved and it will provide specific talking points you can use when talking to your legislators. The most important thing you can do during this next legislative session is to tell your legislators how the incentive impacts you and your work. This grass-roots effort is extremely important, and has proven to be successful for us in Olympia. Because we are actor/performers and broadcasters, we are the ones to tell the story. This effort is on all of us.

Thank you for believing in your union and for believing in yourselves as professionals.

SAG-AFTRA: The Performers' Union in Alaska

By Ron HolmstromSeattle Local Board Member from Alaska

Since the beginning of our film incentive program, Alaska membership in our guild has grown tremendously. Because of the newfound interest in filming in our state, I was encouraged to run for a position on the Seattle board of what was then known as Screen Actors Guild. I was then elected to the board, which includes members in Washington, Montana and Idaho. In 2012, we became SAG-AFTRA, a merger overwhelmingly approved by our membership.

SAG-AFTRA brings together two great American labor unions: Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Both were formed in the turmoil of the 1930s, with rich histories of fighting for and securing the strongest protections for media artists. Our members united to form the successor union in order to preserve those hard-won rights and to continue the struggle to extend and expand those protections into the 21st century and beyond.

SAG-AFTRA is committed to organizing all work done under our jurisdictions; negotiating the best wages, working conditions, and health and pension benefits; preserving and expanding members’ work opportunities; vigorously enforcing our contracts; and protecting members against unauthorized use of their work.

Aside from the protection of being guaranteed a safe workplace, P&H benefits and fair payment for our services, other benefits of being a member include being guaranteed residuals in productions for film, television and now even new media. As members already know, these substantial payments from past productions seem a bit like profit-sharing.

It must be noted that Alaska performers who work on non-union films and the plethora of so-called “reality" shows filming in our state are afforded no contract insuring safe working conditions, reasonable pay (if any) or reasonable hours of work. The horror stories from cast and crewmembers who have worked on these productions are legendary. Plus, they will never receive a single penny in residuals. Many of our Alaska SAG-AFTRA members receive these welcome checks in our mailboxes throughout the year. For instance, those who acted in The Frozen Ground are enjoying an additional paycheck this month. Also, residuals continue to be paid for Big Miracle and Christmas with a Capital C and TV commercials, among others.

Another fun advantage of being a SAG-AFTRA member is that every one of us votes for the annual televised SAG Awards. This means that every year, each member is given free passes or even screeners of major films to view so that we can vote for the awards.

Further, there are now free seminars available on-line at the SAG Foundation website and YouTube channel with valuable tips about casting, honing your craft and other aspects of our industry.

I would happily go on for many pages about my decades-long affiliation with our union, so suffice to say that I am always available to talk about the advantages of membership. I remain a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and am honored to serve on our Seattle Local Board.

See you in the movies!

Fairness Aim of Reinstatement Committee

Each month for a little more than a year, a selected committee of volunteer board members has been meeting to examine requests for reinstatement to SAG-AFTRA. Performers whose membership has been terminated because of non-payment of dues are able to bring their membership current by paying their set rejoin amount or they may submit a request for reinstatement to be reviewed and evaluated by the Reinstatement Obligation Review Committee.

As a board member at large, I know how tough it is to be current on dues. I nearly became a victim of not paying dues on time back in 2010, and that would have cost me more than the dues. It would have made me ineligible to serve on SAG-AFTRA committees, both local and national.

The applicants are anonymous to the committee, known only to staff. We have had all sorts of applicants, from members who forgot to update their address and fell behind in their dues to members just having financial difficulties.

The committee considers each case individually and recognizes that everyone has a unique set of circumstances. We work hard to come to decisions that are fair to both applicants and SAG-AFTRA. Most importantly, the Reinstatement Obligation Review Committee is interested in anyone who uses this method to show the courage and solidarity to apply for reinstatement and enjoy the many perks and benefits of membership.

If you know someone who is currently terminated or if you have a friend or colleague that let their dues lapse and might be interested in reinstatement, please have them contact Allison Calvert at the SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local, (206) 282-2506, or allison.calvert@sagaftra.org.

Meet Your Seattle Local Board

The SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local Board is comprised of member volunteers elected every two years to oversee and direct the activities of the local and its staff. Over several editions, we are introducing readers to these hard-working, dedicated representatives of your union. Read previous profiles here.

Rachel Glass joined SAG in 1989 and AFTRA in 1992, and has been on the SAG-AFTRA board since 2012. Rachel is a broadcaster on KIRO-FM, as well as doing film, TV, voiceovers and recording audiobooks. “I believe in my soul that it is right and necessary for all workers to be treated fairly and justly in their workplace and, by taking a leadership position in my union, I can help in the quest to make sure workers’ rights continue to be a priority to employers.”

Laura Kenny has been a SAG-AFTRA member for more than 27 years and a board member for more than 15 years. She joined SAG when she was cast as Mrs. Fish in Harry and the Hendersons. She most recently shot a film in Canada (Hold Me) and can be heard as a sarcastic wife for AAA on the radio. “I joined the SAG Council and then the AFTRA Board to try to create more union work for actors and to retain the union work we already have. It is a pleasure to serve the membership of the SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local as VP/actors.”

John Patrick Lowrie joined SAG and AFTRA in 1992, served on one or both local boards from 2002 until merger, and served as local co-president for the first year after merger. John voices the Sniper on Team Fortress 2 and seven characters on DOTA 2, and has voiced characters on more than 25 video games. “I know that union contracts protect not only union actors and broadcasters, but set standards for non-union producers to compete with and live up to, as well. I feel it is imperative that SAG-AFTRA moves into the 21st century as a responsible business partner to everyone who employs broadcasters or performers and serves as a strong, unified voice to protect our members in the workplace.”